Holistic Healing, Spirituality, Empowerment and Wellness

Carnival of the Green #25: May Day Edition

Hello Carnival goers. I've been anticipating hosting the May Day Edition of Carnival of the Green. The day has finally arrived! Thanks to City Hippy and Triple Pundit for "Thinking Green" and organizing this eco-friendly traveling roadshow.

Last year on May Day I was dancing around the maypole at my son and his bride's pagan marriage ceremony at Backbone State Park in Iowa. We had the opportunity to fly out and visit with them in their new home in Olympia over Spring Break a couple of weeks ago. They were anxious to "show and tell" us all about their newly purchased home surrounded by a small and intimate lush garden. Their new home was obviously well cared for by the previous owners. It is once again in good hands. I was tickled when my 32 year old son (who was only 12yo not so long ago gliding along on his skateboard down our street) proudly pointed out their spinning composter. They are living green in Washington in so many ways.

My daughter and her husband, also newlyweds, visited our home over the weekend. They live in Iowa and also recently puchased a home and are no longer apartment dwellers. I had to smile when Ryan asked me how to tend a compost pile and what types of things to put in it. He also seemed quite interested in the names of flowers growing in our yard for the first time in the eight years I've known him. New homeowners are so delightful! On the topic of renting apartments VS living in a home with a yard, One/Change Blog gives instructions on how to make an indoor compost that doesn't stink. How wormy is your compost?

Tracy, Eco Street blogs about drought in SE England forcing folks to get creative in saving precious H20 for keeping their gardens green in Surviving the Hosepipe Ban. Saving rainwater in a barrel reminds me of growing up and watching my neighbor lady vigorously scrubbing her tawny locks and scalp with suds. On summer days Emily often washed her hair outdoors with caught rain from the gutters.

Whether it's halting global warming, stopping the next ice age, or no climate change at all, how effective are Yahoo!'s suggestions at reducing climate change? Let's get right to it, shall we?

Rebecca Carter, GreenerMiami, shares a couple of videos of a high schooler demonstrating how he makes blankets for the homeless out of plastic grocery bags. It looks like a giant potholder we all made as kids with a hook and plastic loom. She also revisits an earlier carnival offering (February), updating us on the issues she's been dealing with in stopping junk mail from being delivered by the USPS.

Elsa, the greener side, gives a synopsis of her day visiting the Maker Faire (Do-It-Yourself fest put on by O'Reilly's Make Magazine), beginning with her rather long time standing in the ticket line before entering the green gala to see all the exhibits and such. Lots of photos and an entertaining blog read - enjoy!

A growing number of idealistic twenty somethings from the gilded halls of elite universities are giving up fast-track careers in search of something more authentic. Unlike 70s back to the land hippy -types that rejected city life, they're seeking to mix commerce with ustainable farming.

Al, CityHippy, posts Why do we need roads? - Al has begun a new weekly feature where he asks obvious questions that we take for granted. First up is 'Why do we need roads?'. Obviously we need roads but why has society evolved to the point where all our needs are satsifed from great distances? Why do we not build more logically self-sustaining communities? Also Al wants to flag up the interesting Guardian effort to catalogue the UK's green restuarants and eateries. More info @ CityHippy.

Stentor Danielson, debitage, gets philosophical in the post A Critique of Deep Ecology - "A discussion of my disagreements and agreements with the first four points of the deep ecology platform"

On The Lighter Side, Dawn, Frugal for Life, blogs Not as Green as Kermit. She acknowledges that she is still learning, but continues to plod along in her journey toward greener living. Dawn says "I���m not as green as Kermit the frog but I am learning; right now I���m more of a light grass green. I aspire to be greener, recycling, reducing and reusing more. But until then, I accept my subtlety."

This is the end of this week's carnival. I hope I fulfilled my duty as host okay. I enjoyed reviewing all of your submissions. Hope your May Day is blessed. I have a May basket to prepare and deliver so I must be on my way. Take Care - Live Well.